A range of teacher professional learning programs will be developed to accompany the Biodiversity of the Western Volcanic Plains online outreach...
Overview: Flora and Fauna Identification (Levels 4-7)
To assist teachers in delivering a program involving grassland flora and fauna identification, teacher notes, PowerPoint files and student activity worksheets have been developed to supplement the use of the Field Guide app.
Activity 1 has been designed for all Levels 4-7, with Activity 2 designed to meet Australian Curriculum Science requirements for each level.
Grasslands are dominated by tussock grasses and are also rich in other plant groups. However, trees and large woody shrubs are absent to sparse in grasslands. Grasslands provide vital support to a diverse range of native plants and animals that are important for maintaining biodiversity.
Grasslands were formally extensive across the Victorian Volcanic Plains. Now, less than 0.5% remains, mostly as small and highly fragmented remnants. These patches are commonly found on private land, with some on public sites such as roadsides, rail reserves and cemeteries.
The key threats faced by grasslands are vegetation clearing, fragmentation of remnants, weed invasion, excessive grazing or mowing, broad-scale application of herbicides and fertilisers and inappropriate use of fire. Favourable land use and management practices are essential to conserve grasslands.
To conserve grassland ecosystems, the plants, animals and the non-living components of the environment must be studied to learn how they function. These activities provide students with an understanding of how scientists study grassland ecosystems.
Resources
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Activity 1
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Activity 2
- Level 4
- Level 5
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DocumentAdaptations of organisms
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Power Point Adaptations of organisms
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- Level 6
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Power Point Changes in the environment affect organisms
- Level 7
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Document Classification
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Power Point Classification
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- Level 4
